Vampire Heart
by Doctor Addison Montgomery
Summary: Spuffy: Set after 'Gift'. Spike saved Dawn from Glory but how will Buffy react to this? With Dawn, Willow and Xander all acting as mediators things could get interesting for them both? AU.
1. This Kiss

_**Vampire Heart**_

**Firstly, if you've seen this fanfic on this site before it's because I posted it under another PenName in August 2005 but I've lost the account information so I'm reposting it on here and it's been edited.**

**Summary: Spuffy all the way! Set after 'Gift' my favourite ever episode! Dawn did not die and Spike saved her from Glory. How will Buffy react to this but with Dawn, Willow and Xander all acting as mediators things could get interesting for them both? This story is completely AU as Buffy did not die.**

**Please, please review! xXxXx**

Chapter 1 : This Kiss

"Spike!" Dawn shrieked as the familiar blond haired vampire ran towards her. "Spike!"

Eventually Spike freed himself and ran towards the slayer's sister.

"Dawn, are you okay?" He asked looking at her closely.

"Yeah, get me back on firm ground and I'll be fine. Oh and once I'm back in my own clothes again." She said looking down at the outfit Glory/Ben had made her wear.

Steadying herself Dawn allowed Spike to help her down the steps. Things seemed so much more normal back on the ground, everybody seemed to be relieved that Dawn was safe. Willow and Tara had their arms around each other, Giles was congratulating Anya and Xander on something and Buffy ran towards her sister enveloping her in an embrace.Spike stepped back into the shadows and sat on an upturned crate. Glory had been defeated, Dawn was safe, Tara was back to normal, Giles had recovered and Xander and Anya were clearly happy. Somehow after the last few days everything seemed a little anti climatic now. After a while Dawn walked over to him.

"Come on." She said pulling him up by the arm. "We've got a party to go to."

"Sorry Dawn, I really don't feel like it."

"Tough Spike." She said dragging him with her. "You're coming."

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"I propose a toast to Xander and Anya. Good luck in your engagement and you know we love you guys. Congratulations." They all raised their glasses to toast the newly engaged couple even Spike and Dawn with her wine glass of coke.

"Are you okay with this?" Tara asked later as Willow broke out of a daze.

"Okay with what?" She replied.

"Xander and Anya. You know they're engaged aka together forever."

"Yes...so?"

"You haven't got a problem with that?" Tara asked.

"No...I'm really happy for them. Why?"

"Oh no...don't worry."

"You know I love you Tara, these past few days have made me see that."

Tara smiled. "Me too."

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Buffy was scanning the room looking for someone but her search was going very well so far.

"Looking for someone in particular?" Dawn asked causing Buffy to jump. "Spike maybe?"

"No why would I?" Buffy replied. "Dawn, we don't need him."

"I don't know about you but I needed him today. Buff, he saved me."

"I know, I know...but still..."

"Just go and talk to him." Dawn insisted. "He's over there."

"Buffy." Said Spike as she approached.

"Spike, I just wanted to thank you." She said taking a gulp of her drink.

"Dawn is like a sister to me Buffy I couldn't not do anything."

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"Willow will it work?" Dawn pestered her sister's friend.

"Yes...well I hope so..." Willow grimaced.

For a moment Buffy felt as though she was staring at a different man not at Spike, the reformed but still slightly annoying vampire. She glanced at his hair, she hadn't noticed how much she liked it before.

"Buffy are you alright?" Spike asked trying to take her glass from her sensing that she had already had too much to drink and had been over celebrating. Buffy reacted more slowly than usual pulling it away from his grasp but ended up spilling it over both of them.

"Sorry." she apologised putting the now empty glass down on a table near them.

"No problem." Spike replied trying to wipe down his leather jacket as best as possible.

"Thank you." Buffy blurted out.

"Huh?" Spike was confused.

"For saving Dawn. I guess I didn't have you down as that kinda man."

"Yeah well you were always the one who saw me as more than a vampire but I knew I had to prove it to you." Spike said shaking his jacket so that drop of alcohol showered the floor as he walked away.

"Spike, wait!" The Slayer called.

He turned around to face her slowly.

"What?"

Buffy stepped closer to the vampire, letting her lips meet against his.

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"It's working" Dawn beamed hugging Willow.

"I don't feel so good about this Dawn." The witch replied and Tara shook her head.

"Okay well you can reverse it now and let fate kick in."

"Fate? He's a vampire and she's the vampire slayer. Somehow I don't think fate fits into it Dawn." Willow replied.

"C'mon." Dawn moaned. "It worked for you guys and just look at Xander and Anya."

"Fine." Willow said as she reversed her incantation.

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Spike kissed her passionatley, holding her face in his hands until something changed pushed Buffy away but not roughly, he was confused and puzzled by her actions. For a second Buffy seemed to return to her normal self again or at least how she had been before the alcohol had kicked in.

"Spike, I should go."The vampire looked at her still surprised, he was taken aback even further when she leaned forwards and kissed him very lightly on the lips.


	2. Reprecussions

**Vampire Heart  
Chapter 2 : Reprecussions  
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Thanks to all who reviewed last chapter! Hopefully it will make more sense soon! Please review, Vikki xXx

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The next morning Buffy, Dawn, Willow and Anya were sitting at the kitchen table in the Summers' house. Each of them held a mug of hot chocolate between their hands, Anya was still admiring the ring that Xander had given her.

"It was so weird." Buffy was telling them about what had happened. "One moment I was reluctant to even say thank you for saving Dawn's life." She paused to reach across the table to touch her sister's hand. "And then suddenly I was kissing him." She paused for effect. "Like _really _kissing him." She looked around at the expressions on her friend's faces.

Anya was staring at Buffy and had stopped looking at her engagement ring for long enough to become engrossed in the Slayer's confession. Dawn and Willow, however were looking at Buffy with very different expressions. Dawn was keen to know the details whilst Willow's cheeks turned from pink to crimson with guilt and embarrassment, Buffy picked up on this.

"What's going on?" Buffy asked looking and Dawn then Willow and back at Dawn again."

"It was a spell." Dawn answered.

"What!" Both Buffy and Anya exclaimed in unison.

"I'm sorry Buffy." Willow apologised.

"Me too." Dawn seconded. "Don't blame Willow she was only trying to help because I asked her to. It was all my idea."

"But Dawn why?" Buffy asked.

"Can't you see how good you two would be together?"

"He's a vampire!" Buffy exclaimed, Willow broke in before she had thought through what she was going to say.

"So was Angel."

"Yes I know but look how that turned out."

"Maybe you're being given a second chance." Dawn reasoned to an exasperated Buffy.

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Tara and Spike were sitting together in the corner of an underground bar talking. Spike had told Tara about how he felt for Buffy and how last night had been a surprise but not an unwelcome one. Tara listened sympathetically to the vampire feeling bad about what she had witnessed last night.

"Well if she feels the same..." Tara stopped not wanting to give Spike false hope.

"The thing is I think it was something demonic or at least wiccan that happened." Spike mused becoming nearer to the truth that he knew.

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"You cast a spell to make me fall for Spike?" Buffy demanded.

Willow looked at Buffy her face and eyes showing her uncomfortable embarrassment. She nodded. "We reversed it though."

"Do you want me to thank you?" Buffy replied sarcastically. "What was the point then?"

"To make you see what could happen."

"Right. I can't listen to this anymore." Buffy banged her empty mug down on the table and stormed out of the room.

Anya, Dawn and Willow heard the door slam and looked at each other anxiously.

"I told you it wouldn't work out." Willow sighed.

"But it did work. If she didn't care about Spike, she wouldn't have got so upset would she?" Dawn replied.

Willow groaned. "You don't give up do you?"


	3. Privacy

**Vampire Heart  
Chapter 3 : Privacy**

"Hey Anya." Xander smiled as he walked into his bedroom to see his fiancée already there. She walked over to meet him and put her arms around his neck. They kissed passionately, now that they were one step away from spending their lives together they wanted to hold onto what they had. "I love you..." He whispered as he pushed her gently down onto the bed which they hadn't got round to making yet.

"I love you too." Anya replied, playing with his hair. Xander deepened the kiss and suddenly Anya remember what she had been meaning to talk to him about.

"Wait!" She said, breaking away from him and straightening herself up. She tried to ignore the hurt expression on his face. "Have you seen Spike yet today?"

"Uh...yeah, I saw him this morning. Why?" Xander asked, clearly confused.

"Did you talk to him?" Anya asked, praying that her fiancé wasn't about to get the wrong idea.

"Yeah...and again I ask, why?" Xander repeated.

"Did he mention anything about..."

Xander cut in: "Buffy?"

Anya nodded, grinning. "Yeah! So...what did he say?"

"Well...it's what we call a private conversation." Xander replied, heavy on the sarcasm.

Anya blinked. "Yeah...and...what did he say about her?"

"Anya, it was a _private_ conversation." Xander told her.

Anya sighed and then explained it all to him.

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Buffy cursed herself as she threw another balled up tissue into the bin, she was crying over a vampire. Another vampire this time but still a vampire all the same. She knew this time that it wasn't Spikes fault either but it didn't make any difference to how she felt. She was angry too, her best friends and her sister had all betrayed her and humiliated her. Buffy knew they were only doing what they thought was best for her but it didn't stop her from feeling a little let down.

Buffy looked up as customary cigarette butt fell to the floor.

"Spike?" She asked, angry that he had caught her with her guard down once again, she was in truth more angry with herself than him.

"In the flesh." He whispered in the voice that could melt glaciers, as he appeared in the shadows and came to sit beside her. "So to speak."

"Hey." She replied half heartedly.

"So..." Spike began, stretching the word out.

"I'm sorry, it was a mistake...what happened last night. Well, not technically a mistake, Dawn and Willow cast a spell on us and then reversed it for some reason..." Buffy explained, hoping that Spike would understand but he didn't.

"Oh...right..." He replied, processing the information although it hurt him, he had hoped that what had happened between them had been real but he should have known that it was foolish to hope for things like that. "Sorry if...yeah...I'm sorry too Buff..."

Buffy could sense that he was hurting and she couldn't help but feel the same.

"Right, well...um...the next time you need a demon or a vampire, other than me, getting rid of you know who to call." Spike said, standing up and dusting off his leather trench coat. He looked at his feet and in a more gentle voice he said: "Take care, okay Buffy?"

"You too." She replied quietly but it was too late, he had already gone.

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	4. Dinner Disaster

**Vampire Heart  
Chapter 4**

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Later that evening Buffy was getting ready for another party. Tonight she was hosting a dinner party for everyone mainly to celebrate Glory's defeat but also to give Anya and Xander a proper engagement dinner. She had forbidden Willow and Dawn from doing any of the cooking but she had put them in charge of the decorations. The dining room was looking beautiful, the table was glittering with purple and silver streamers and confetti. Each guest had a plce card decorated in matching colours. Dawn picked up the pile and showed them to Willow.

"Look Willow, she's invited Spike!" She exclaimed.

"Really, that's good." The witch smiled.

Dawn began to lay out the card on the table. She put Anya and Xander at the head of the table, Tara and Willow on oneside and herself and Giles on the other. With a mischievous glint in her eye she placed Buffy and Spike's cards together at the other two available spaces.

Tara was busy helping Buffy make dinner in the kitchen but when she left to change for the evening she saw that Willow and Dawn were putting the finishing touches to their decorations. She walked into the dining room and looked around, admiring their handiwork until she saw that they had placed Buffy and Spike together at the table.

"Don't you think you are taking this a bit far?" Tara asked, referring to the lengths her girlfriend and the Slayer's sister had already gone to in order to matchmake Buffy and the blond vampire.

"No," Dawn replied simply. "I'm not giving up."

Willow looked at Tara helplessly who sighed and headed upstairs to change.

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At seven o'clock Buffy began to welcome her guests. She and Dawn were at the door waiting to greet everyone whilst Tara and Willow had been entrusted with dishing up the meal. Giles was the first to arrive, offering Buffy a bottle of red wine. He took a seat on the sofa and waited for the others to arrive.

Anya and Xander were the next guests to arrive and after placing a friendly kiss on Buffy's cheek, Xander handed over a box of chocolate truffles. Tara and Willow exited the kitchen and joined the other guests. Now they were just waiting for Spike to arrive. When another fifteen minutes had passed Buffy had pretty much given up on him appearing so she told her guests to take their place at the table. She brought out the starter and the guests began to eat, aware of the awkward atmosphere caused by Spike not being there. As they ate it was hard for them not to be drawn to the empty space beside Buffy who was trying to keep her face and voice neutral as she chatted inanely to them.

Buffy herself was also beginning to feel increasingly and could not have been more grateful when the doorbell eventually rang. She excused herself from the table and all but fled from the room. She went through the dining room and into the lounge, breathing deeply as she headed for the front door.

"Spike," She said, almost sounding surprised although she had no idea who else it could be.

"Hello, pet. Sorry I'm late." He pulled out a bouquet of red roses from inside his leather trench coat and handed them to Buffy.

"Thank you." She replied, glad of the twilight as it hid her flushed cheeks.

Buffy and Spike stood staring at each other for a few moments but the atmosphere was shattered when Xander called out.

"Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, fine." Buffy sighed, leading Spike through the house and into the dining room and to his seat at the table. The vampire tried to hide his surprise at the seating arrangement but as he sat down Dawn smiled radiantly at him. Buffy took the flowers out into the kitchen, trying to forget about the triumphant look she had seen her sister shoot at Willow. The slayer's sister helped to clear away the starter and Buffy brought out the main course. When the Summers sisters were out of the room, Tara leaned towards her girlfriend and whispered.

"I have a really bad feeling about this, Will."

"Uh huh." Willow replied.

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Dawn came back with two plates and passed them to Anya and Xander before taking her seat. Buffy brought in Tara and Willow's and Giles and Dawn's before disappearing back into the kitchen for the last two. There was a sudden crash as china connected with the kitchen flooor and a scream came from Buffy. Spike was up at out of the room before any of the others could react. Willow and Xander threw down their cutlery and hurried to follow Spike.

They found Buffy fighting against a demon of immense size and it was all she and Spike could do to stop it rampaging across the room and through the house. Willow called Anya, Giles and Tara to help while she stayed with Dawn, searching madly through her bag for something. She found the book she was looking for but before Willow and Dawn had even opened the front page, Spike came flying through the room and landed unconsciously on the floor beside them.


End file.
